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The reliable production path is: install PHP 8.4 or newer and the extensions required by your Symfony version, install Composer and Git, create or clone the application, then serve its public/ directory through Nginx and PHP-FPM. Symfony CLI is useful for requirement checks, project creation and local development, but its development server is not a production web server.

What you need before installing Symfony

This guide assumes a current Ubuntu VPS with SSH access and administrative privileges. Symfony’s current setup documentation requires PHP 8.4 or higher. Install the extensions listed for your Symfony release, Composer, Git and unzip before creating or deploying an application. A production web server is also required; this guide uses Nginx with PHP-FPM.

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  • An Ubuntu VPS that you can administer with sudo.
  • PHP 8.4 or newer, including every extension required by the current Symfony setup documentation and by your application.
  • Composer for dependency installation.
  • Git and unzip for retrieving and unpacking application code and packages.
  • Nginx (or Apache, Caddy or FrankenPHP) for production traffic.
  • A PHP-FPM service matching the PHP version used by the application.

Do not assume that a project which worked on another server has the same PHP modules here. Run Symfony’s requirement check after Symfony CLI is installed, and treat a failed check as a deployment blocker rather than ignoring it.

Prepare PHP, Composer and the VPS

Install the operating-system packages

Refresh Ubuntu’s package index and install the basic runtime, package manager, source-control tools and Nginx. The exact PHP package names depend on the PHP repository and Ubuntu release; the example below uses PHP 8.4 naming and should be adjusted if your enabled repository exposes a different supported package name.

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sudo apt update
sudo apt install php8.4-cli php8.4-fpm composer git unzip nginx

Add the PHP extensions required by your Symfony release and application. A database driver, for example, must match the database you actually use. Symfony’s setup page is the authority for the core extension list; an application’s composer.json can impose additional requirements.

Check the installed interpreter and Composer:

php -v
php -m
composer --version
sudo systemctl status php8.4-fpm --no-pager

If Ubuntu selected another PHP-FPM version, use that version consistently in the service name, socket path and Nginx configuration. Mixing PHP 8.4 CLI with an older FPM pool is a common cause of “works in the shell, fails in the browser” errors.

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Use a non-root deployment account

Keep application files owned by a deployment account rather than routinely editing them as root. The account needs permission to read the project and to run Composer and Symfony commands; the web-server user only needs the write access explicitly required by the application’s runtime directories. This separation makes accidental ownership changes less likely.

Confirm Symfony’s requirements

Once Symfony CLI is available, run the built-in check from the account that will develop or deploy the project:

symfony check:requirements

Compare every reported failure with the PHP version and extension packages installed above. Resolve missing modules, then run the check again. A successful check confirms the tool can see a compatible runtime; it does not replace application-specific checks such as database connectivity.

Install Symfony CLI on Ubuntu

Symfony CLI is a free, open-source terminal tool for building, running and managing Symfony applications. On Ubuntu, Symfony documents an APT installation through its Cloudsmith repository. Follow the repository setup script in Symfony’s current CLI installation instructions, then install the package:

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sudo apt install symfony-cli

The same documentation lists installer-script and standalone-binary alternatives if adding an APT repository is unsuitable for your VPS. Verify the installation:

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symfony -v

CLI is optional. Symfony applications can be installed with Composer and served by a conventional web server without it, but CLI adds requirement checks, project scaffolding, PHP version selection and local-server diagnostics.

Create a new Symfony project

Choose a full web application

For a conventional website with Symfony’s standard web features, create the project with the --webapp option:

cd /var/www
symfony new --webapp my_project
cd my_project

This creates a directory named my_project and installs the web-application dependencies selected by Symfony’s current skeleton.

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Choose a minimal or API application

For a microservice, API or console-oriented project, use the smaller skeleton:

cd /var/www
symfony new my_project
cd my_project

The minimal project does not include the complete web-app dependency set. Add only the components your application needs through Composer.

Select a Symfony version

The CLI accepts --version. Use it when the application must target a particular Symfony release, including an LTS choice documented by the CLI. Pinning the version is especially important when deploying to more than one VPS or when an existing project’s dependency constraints require a specific major version.

symfony new --version="lts" my_project

Check the CLI’s current version-selection syntax before using a value in automation, because supported aliases and release names change over time.

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Deploy an existing Symfony project

When the code already exists in a repository, do not scaffold a second application. Deploy the repository, install its locked dependencies and then perform the project’s own setup tasks.

  1. Clone the repository. Place it outside a public web directory first, then move or release it into the path you will configure for Nginx.
  2. Enter the project directory. Every following Composer and Console command must run from the directory containing composer.json and bin/console.
  3. Install dependencies. For a production release, a typical command is:
composer install --no-dev --optimize-autoloader

Use the project’s documented Composer command if it differs. Do not delete the lock file or run an unconstrained update during a routine deployment; installation should reproduce the versions tested by the project.

  1. Provide environment values. Configure the application’s database URL, trusted hosts, mail transport, encryption keys and other secrets through real production environment variables or the configuration mechanism supplied by your hosting platform. Keep secrets out of committed development files.
  2. Run project-specific setup. Apply the database schema or migrations, load required fixtures, build front-end assets and perform any other tasks described by the repository. These steps vary by application and cannot be safely substituted with a universal command.
  3. Inspect the installation. Run:
php bin/console about

The command reports the Symfony application and environment details visible to the project. Follow it with the application’s own health check or a controlled request before switching production traffic.

Run Symfony locally while developing

From the project directory, start Symfony’s local development server:

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symfony server:start

To leave it running in the background:

symfony server:start -d

Use the CLI commands below when diagnosing a port conflict or a process that appears to have stopped:

Task Command Use it when
View server state symfony server:status You need to know whether a local process is running and which endpoint it uses.
Read server logs symfony server:log A request fails or the server exits unexpectedly.
Stop the server symfony server:stop An old process owns the port or you want a clean restart.

This server is intended for local development. It is not a substitute for Nginx, Apache, FrankenPHP or Caddy on a public VPS. It lacks the production web-server configuration, process supervision and exposure controls expected for an Internet-facing application.

Configure Nginx and PHP-FPM for production

Point Nginx at the public/ directory

Symfony’s public/ directory is the home of public and static files such as images, stylesheets and JavaScript. Set Nginx’s document root to the absolute path ending in /public/, not to the project root. For this example the project lives at /var/www/my_project, so the root is /var/www/my_project/public.

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Use an internal front controller and deny other PHP files

The following server block serves existing static files, internally sends other requests to Symfony’s front controller and prevents a browser from requesting /index.php directly. It also returns 404 for every other PHP file. Replace the domain, project path and PHP-FPM socket with your values.

server {
    listen 80;
    server_name example.com;

    root /var/www/my_project/public;
    index index.php;

    location / {
        try_files $uri $uri/ /index.php$is_args$args;
    }

    # Allow Nginx's internal rewrite, but reject a direct browser request.
    location = /index.php {
        internal;
        include fastcgi_params;
        fastcgi_param SCRIPT_FILENAME $document_root/index.php;
        fastcgi_param SCRIPT_NAME /index.php;
        fastcgi_pass unix:/var/run/php/php8.4-fpm.sock;
    }

    # Never execute arbitrary PHP files from the document root.
    location ~ .php$ {
        return 404;
    }

    location ~ /. {
        deny all;
    }
}

The socket name must match the installed FPM pool. Ubuntu examples often show a path such as /var/run/php/php8.3-fpm.sock; on a VPS meeting the current PHP 8.4 requirement, the corresponding path is commonly /var/run/php/php8.4-fpm.sock. Confirm the actual file under /var/run/php/ rather than guessing.

If your distribution’s FastCGI include file adds parameters or a try_files rule, review the resulting configuration so it does not undo the internal-only front-controller rule. Nginx configuration should be tested before reload:

sudo nginx -t
sudo systemctl reload nginx

Check direct front-controller access

After deployment, request both the site root and /index.php. Normal application URLs should work, while a direct request to /index.php should be rejected rather than exposing the entry script as a public endpoint. Also try a nonexistent PHP filename; it should return 404, not execute.

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Confirm PHP-FPM is running

sudo systemctl enable --now php8.4-fpm
sudo systemctl status php8.4-fpm --no-pager

If Nginx reports “502 Bad Gateway,” inspect the service status and compare fastcgi_pass with the socket actually created by PHP-FPM. A valid Nginx syntax check does not prove that the socket exists or that its permissions allow Nginx to connect.

Set Symfony permissions and production configuration

Make runtime directories writable

Symfony writes generated cache and logs under var/cache/ and var/log/. The web-server user must be able to write those directories while the rest of the source tree should remain as restricted as practical.

sudo chown -R deploy:www-data /var/www/my_project
sudo setfacl -R -m u:www-data:rwX -m u:deploy:rwX /var/www/my_project/var

The exact web-server user can differ on Ubuntu installations. Confirm it in the Nginx and PHP-FPM pool configuration before applying ownership changes. If ACL tools are unavailable, grant group write permission to the runtime directories and verify the result:

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A “permission denied” error while clearing cache or writing logs usually means the command was run as a different user from the one serving requests, or that a previous root-owned deployment changed ownership.

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Keep environment-specific values out of source control

Development .env defaults are useful for local work but should not be treated as production secrets. Supply real environment variables, encrypted configuration or the hosting platform’s documented mechanism for database credentials, mail settings, API keys and other environment-specific values. Verify the values visible to the PHP-FPM service, not only those visible in your interactive SSH shell; service managers can load a different environment.

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Validate a first deployment

Run validation in an order that isolates failures quickly:

  1. Run symfony check:requirements (where Symfony CLI is installed) and confirm PHP 8.4+ plus all required extensions.
  2. Run php bin/console about from the release directory.
  3. Check that the configured database and other external services are reachable using the project’s own health or migration command.
  4. Confirm var/cache/ and var/log/ are writable by the PHP-FPM/web-server user.
  5. Run sudo nginx -t, reload Nginx and request a static asset from public/.
  6. Request a normal dynamic route and inspect the application log if it fails.
  7. Request /index.php and an unrelated .php path; both should be inaccessible directly.

Only after these checks should you place the VPS behind a domain, reverse proxy or load balancer. Add HTTPS and a renewal process appropriate to your hosting setup before accepting real credentials or personal data.

Troubleshoot the most common failures

Symptom Likely cause What to check
Requirement check fails Unsupported PHP version or missing extension Compare php -v and php -m with the current Symfony requirements; install the missing package and rerun the check.
Local server will not start An existing process owns the port or the previous process is unhealthy Run symfony server:status, inspect symfony server:log, stop it with symfony server:stop, then start again.
Nginx returns 404 for every route The document root is wrong or the rewrite does not reach the front controller Confirm the root ends in /public, verify the project contains public/index.php, test the Nginx configuration and reload it.
Nginx returns 502 PHP-FPM is stopped or the socket path is wrong Check the FPM service status, list /var/run/php/ and make fastcgi_pass match the actual socket.
“Permission denied” in cache or logs The FPM user cannot write Symfony’s runtime directories Inspect ownership and ACLs on var/cache/ and var/log/; correct them for the web-server user.
Production uses unexpected credentials or debug behavior PHP-FPM is not receiving the intended environment values Check the service or hosting configuration and stop relying on local development .env values.
A PHP file downloads or executes unexpectedly The server block exposes more than the front controller Keep public/ as the root, retain the catch-all PHP 404 rule and verify direct access to /index.php is blocked.

Choose a deployment approach for your VPS

A self-managed Ubuntu VPS gives you control over the operating system, Nginx/PHP-FPM versions, deployment process, logs and network policy. You are also responsible for security updates, PHP upgrades, backups, monitoring, TLS, rollback procedures and capacity planning.

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A managed Symfony-oriented platform can reduce server maintenance and may provide an integrated deployment command such as symfony cloud:deploy. Evaluate its current commercial terms and regional availability separately; those details change. The important comparison is operational rather than purely about the first monthly price:

Decision axis Self-managed Ubuntu VPS Managed Symfony platform
Operational control Full control of Ubuntu, web server, PHP-FPM and release layout. Provider controls the underlying platform; you use its supported configuration model.
Server stack Typically Nginx/PHP-FPM; you can choose Apache, Caddy or FrankenPHP. Uses the provider’s supported Symfony runtime and web stack.
Updates You schedule Ubuntu, PHP, Composer and application updates. The provider handles platform maintenance while you maintain application dependencies.
Observability and backups You select logs, metrics, retention and backup storage and must test restoration. Some facilities may be integrated; verify retention, export and restore procedures.
Scaling path You design vertical or horizontal scaling, sessions, queues and database capacity. Scaling options depend on the platform’s plans and supported architecture.
Total monthly cost VPS, storage, backups, monitoring and your maintenance time. Platform fees plus any database, bandwidth and add-on charges; current terms require verification.

For a single application and an administrator comfortable maintaining Linux, the Nginx/PHP-FPM route is transparent and portable. For teams that prefer an integrated deployment workflow, compare the managed platform’s limits, backups, logs and exit path before committing.

What a repeatable Symfony VPS release looks like

For subsequent releases, keep the process predictable: build or clone the new code in a separate release directory, run the locked Composer installation, provide production environment values, run the project’s database and asset tasks, verify php bin/console about, make sure runtime permissions are correct, switch the Nginx root or release symlink, and reload only the services that changed. Preserve the previous release until a smoke test succeeds so that rollback is a deliberate filesystem change rather than an emergency rebuild.

Symfony is installed when the runtime, dependencies, configuration, front controller and web-server boundary all agree. PHP 8.4+ and the required extensions satisfy the compatibility layer; Composer supplies the code; public/ limits what the Internet can read; PHP-FPM executes only the intended entry point; and writable runtime directories let the application cache and log without opening the entire source tree.

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